Cycle-frame.



F. DIEPENHORST & A. DIEHL.

GYGLB FRAME.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.17, 1913.

1,071,892. Patented Sept. 2, 1913.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH c0 ASHINGTON D c rr sans ran'r @FFICE,

FREDERICK LDIEPLENHORST AND ARTHUR DIEHL, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN.

CYCLE-FRAME.

Application filed March 17,

To all u /1.0m it may concern Be it known that we, Fnrinnniok DIEPEN- .irons'r and Airmen Dlnnn, both citizens of the United States, and residents of Milwaukee, in the c-::-unty of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cycle- Frames; and we do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

()ur invention refers to cycle frame construction having a compensating rear fork member, which fork member is in hinge connection with the main frame and the load is sustained and cushioned under suitable spring control.

The object of our invention is to provide a simple, economical and effective shackle connection between the spring-controlled member and the oscillatory fork member, where by the are movement of the latter, about its axis or hinge point, is compensated for with relation to a reciprocative movement of said spring-cm1trolled member, while at the same time provision is made in the shackle or link connection between said members for pre venting lateral play, whereby the device as a whole is rigid transversely and is free to play up and down incidental to vibration under load-strain.

lVith the above objects in view the invention consists in certain peculiarities of c0nstruction and combination of parts as set forth hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings and subsequently claimed.

In the drawings Figure 1 represents a fragi'nentary side elevation of a motorcycle frame with parts broken away and parts in section embodying the features of our invention; Fig. 2, a detailed plan sectional view through the reach-tube and its rear fork connections, and Fig. 3, a detailed sectional elevation of the same, the section being indicated by line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Referring by characters to the drawings, 1 represents a horizontally disposed hollow reach-bar of a motorcycle frame having an open rear end, the said bar constituting a spring-receiving barrel.

2 represents the ordinary type of verti' cally disposed seat-mast, and 3 a crank hanger which is secured to the base of the mast in the ordinary manner. Trunnioned about the crank-hanger is a sleeve 4, from which sleeve there is extended a vertically Specification of Letters Patent.

.latentcd Sept. 2, .1913.

1913. Serial NO. 754,791.

disposed strut and a pair of horizontally disposed lower bars (5, the same being connected at their outer ends to ends of ob .liquely disposed upper bars 7 by means of slotted axle-receiving webs 8. The top end of each upper bar 7 is secured to the strut 5 by a clnster-braeket 9 that caps said strut and terminates with a pair of spaced apertured cars 10 for the reception of a bufferspring connection to be hereinafter fully described. The strut 5 and sets of bars 7 and (3, as shown, are connected to form a triangular rear fork member which is adapted to oscillate about the crank-hanger axis, the rear corner of the triangular fork member being fitted with the usual wheel. The capped end of the strut, as shown, under normal load comlitions, is positioned a predeterl'nincd distance rcarwardlv of the month of the reach-bar or barrel, with the ear apertures in approximate alincment with said barrel, it being understood that the upper ear-capped ci'n-ner of the triangular rear fork is arranged to oscillate back and forth and in such oscillation describes an arc of a circle about its axis of oscillation.

Fitted into the barrel is a phingcr ll having an enlarged head '19, the forward end of which head is opposed by a coiled compression spring 13 that is nested within the barrel forwardly of the plunger. A second coiled spring '13 is wound about the plunger between the rear face of its head and mouth of the barrel, which spring constitutes a recoil shock-z.bsorber, the said spring being opposed by a gland ll that is in threaded union with the mouth of said barrel. "he plunger is thus arranged to be rcriprocated within the barrel. being guided by its head and the gland 14- through which it extends. The outer end of the plunger carries a flat tcned head '15, which head is provided with an are shaped slot 15, the slol-walls being struck from the axis of an end aperture that is formed in the head rearwardly of the slot. for the reception of a trunnion-bolt '1 ('i. The trunnion-bolt '16 serves as a pivot for the padded apertured ends of a pair of shackles or links 17. which links straddle the head and the opposite ends of said links extend forwardly and are provided with apertures iu alinemcnt with the hcnd slot. 'lhc forward ends of the links 17 are slightly spaced from the side faces of the plunger-head and fitted into these spaces are the aperiured bracket ears [0, which cars and links are connected by a tie-bolt 18 that also extends through the head slot, whereby these parts are securedwhile at the same time the bolt is free to play within the circular slot, describing an arc movement due to its link connections.

From the foregoing description of the as semblage it is obvious that, owing to the link connection between the spring-pressed plunger and upper floating corner of the rear fork member, the wheel contained in said fork member is free to rise and fall under road conditions, and that the link connection will permit arc movement of the eared corner of the fork independent of the reciprocat-ive movement imparted to the plunger, whereby tendency of said plunger to cramp incidental to its reciprocation is eliminated. It is also apparent that the floating corner of the rear triangular fork member is held against lateral strain due to the nested engagement of its ears with the head of the plunger, it being understood that abnormal rise or fall of the fork at its wheel corner is limited by engagement of the trunnion-bolt 16 with the ends of said slot.

e claim 1. A cycle frame comprising a seat-mast having a horizontally disposed hollow open end reach-tube in connection therewith, a triangular rear fork member having one of its corners in pivotal union with the lower portion of the seat-mast, a springcontrolled reciprocative plunger incased within the reach-tube and extending through its open end, links having ends in pivotal union with the exposed end of the plunger, the opposite ends of the links being extended toward the mouth of the reachtube, and a pivotal connection between the last mentioned ends of the links and a corner of the triangular fork member.

2. A cycle frame comprising a vertically disposed seat-mast having a horizontally disposed hollow open ended reach tube in connection therewith, a triangular rear fork member having one of its corners in hinge connection with the lower end of the seatmast, a spring-controlled reciprocative plungel incased within the reach-tube and eX- tending through its open end, guides for the plunger, a head in connection with the eX- posed end of the plunger-provided with an end aperture, and an are shaped slot forwardly of said end aperture, the same being described about the axis of said aperture, a bolt mounted in the plunger-head aperture, links having ends in pivotal union with the bolt, the opposite ends of the links being extended toward the mouth of the reach tube, ap-ertured ears extending upwardly from one corner of the triangular fork, the ear apertures being alined with the are shaped slot of the plunger-head, and a retaining bolt for connecting the ears and forward end of the links, the bolt being in engagement with the circular slot.

in testimony that we claim the foregoing we have hereunto set our hands at Milwaukee in the county of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin in the presence of two witnesses.

FREDERICK DIEPENHORST. ARTHUR DIEHL. Witnesses GEO. W. YOUNG, M. E. DOWNEY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

